June 2010

Time to Sing Hello: Sneak Peek #2

June 30, 2010

Now that there are only 10 days remaining until the release of Time to Sing Hello, I’m more anxious than ever to share it with you. First came the cover art and “My Clothes and Shoes” (admittedlly, my favorite track); today’s preview includes the actual CD art and the final song on the album. “Time [...]

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Set to Music: The Pledge of Allegiance

June 28, 2010

As the Fourth of July approaches, I’m probably not the only one with patriotic themes on the brain. Songs like “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “America the Beautiful” are being sung and taught to children all over the country this week, and I know that my own students are hard at work learning the Pledge of [...]

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Sunday Singalong: I See a Girl Named…

June 27, 2010

Out of all the songs I’ve written, “Everybody Has a Name” might just be the one I use most often. As I mentioned in the video, the idea came from a teacher…and it seems that the really good ones almost always do! The look of pride on a child’s face after spelling his or her [...]

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You’re Invited!

June 23, 2010

These invitations went out in the mail last week, so if you live in the Springfield area, there’s a chance you’ve already received yours. But if not, consider yourself invited to my Time to Sing Hello CD Release Party! Here are the details: CD Release Performance & Reception Sunday, July 11 @ 2:00 pm Westminster [...]

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In the Swimming Pool

June 22, 2010

From the time I started elementary school until I graduated high school, most of my summer days were spent at the neighborhood pool. My friends and I would ride our bikes there as soon as it opened, and we’d usually stay until our parents made us come home late in the afternoon. And if there [...]

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Happy Summer!

June 21, 2010

My favorite season is officially here, and the heat is on. 95 degree heat, to be exact, which means if I’m outside, I’m most likely in the swimming pool. It’s too hot to do a whole lot else! Midwest summers are strange; most of last June was cool and fall-like, while this month, it hasn’t [...]

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Sunday Singalong: Mia’s Composition

June 20, 2010

This week’s “Sunday Sing-Along” is more aptly titled a “Play-Along” since there isn’t actually any singing involved. But anytime I have a chance to showcase my students’ creativity, I’ll take it! Mia came to her lesson this past week bursting with excitement; she had composed this tune over the summer break and couldn’t wait to [...]

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Sheet Music: Shakin’ Songs for Summer

June 18, 2010

My studio is chock-full of instruments, but it’s my collection of shakers that gets the most use. Maybe it’s the bright colors, or how easy they are to play, or their great sound; I’m not sure. But my “songs for shakers” are a staple around here, which is why I decided to collect the sheet [...]

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Catch This "Days of the Week" Download!

June 17, 2010

97% of the songs I use in my music therapy sessions and music classes are those I’ve written myself. But it’s a pretty safe bet that the other 3% are borrowed from Laurie Berkner, who I’d have to say is my songwriting role model. Some of my favorite Laurie Berkner Band songs include Buzz Buzz, [...]

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Today at Listen & Learn Plus!

June 16, 2010

Earlier this week, I posted a sneak preview of Time to Sing Hello, my debut studio album. “My Clothes and Shoes” was the song I shared, and today my Listen & Learn Plus! subscribers can play right along. The sheet music for this tune (my personal favorite from the new album) is now available to [...]

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1 Cool Bass Line = 2 Singable Stories

June 16, 2010

One of my favorite ways to engage my music therapy students is through children’s books. I have a sizable collection of what I call “singable stories” – books with words that translate nicely into sung lyrics. Singable stories, along with the pictures that illustrate them, provide a wonderful opportunity to address goals such as identifying [...]

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One Year in the Studio

June 15, 2010

When my husband and I started house-hunting in January of 2009, I had one prerequisite: our home must have a dedicated space for a music therapy studio. I’d been traveling to my students’ homes (in addition to my full-time job at The Hope Institute) for two years, and I was exhausted. Not to mention that [...]

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Pssst…Want a Preview?

June 15, 2010

Behold, the cover art for Listen & Learn’s debut studio album: Time to Sing Hello. Although we’re still a few weeks away from its official release, I just couldn’t help but share my excitement with you. My experience in the recording studio was amazing, and I’m thrilled with how the tracks turned out, but this [...]

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This Just In: The Months of the Year

June 10, 2010

I’ve written close to 200 songs over the last four years or so, many of which I’ve long since retired from my repertoire. But there are 12 songs – starting with “January” and ending with “December” – which I have no plans to retire anytime soon. Each month, I introduce new songs and activities to [...]

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Confessions from My Comfy Couch

June 8, 2010

Okay, I’ll admit it: most of my work is done not at my desk, but rather, on my couch. If you were to visit my house on any given evening, you’d likely find both my husband and I sitting on our brown leather couch, respective MacBooks atop our laps. In fact, I’m actually in that [...]

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Friday Fave: Birthday Weekend Begins!

June 4, 2010

The first week of June just might be my favorite week of the whole year. Not only did summer break officially begin yesterday, but tomorrow is my birthday. To tell you the truth, I started celebrating this afternoon with a shopping trip, but the real celebration happens tomorrow night. My family is getting together for [...]

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